HOOVER, Alabama - Hoover residents who live in Jefferson County soon won't have to go to one of the Jefferson County courthouses to renew their car tags.

The Hoover City Council tonight gave its approval to a plan that will allow people who live in the Jefferson County part of Hoover to renew their tags at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

It will cost $5 extra, but Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey said people are eager for an alternative to long lines that have plagued the Jefferson County courthouses.

County officials say recent new hires in the revenue department and the implementation of express lanes have shortened wait times from four hours on some occasions to about 30 minutes. But a new law passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor in February allows cities (in Jefferson County only) to renew car tags as well.

Vestavia Hills became the first city to start offering the service on April 1, but officials in numerous other cities have said they are interested in the idea and watching to see how it works in Vestavia Hills.

Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey on car tag renewals in Hoover 5-5-14Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey talks about the city of Hoover's decision to start allowing Hoover residents who live in Jefferson County to renew vehicle tags at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium instead of Jefferson County courthouses, on Monday, May 5, 2014. (Jon Anderson/janderson@al.com)

Hoover council members praised the idea and said they believe residents will greatly appreciate the more convenient option.

People wanting to renew or obtain a driver's license or get a car tag for a newly purchased vehicle still will need to go to one of the Jefferson County courthouses, as will people wanting boat or motorcycle licenses, Ivey said. The law passed by the Legislature allows cities to offer only tag renewals, he said.

However, Ivey said he has talked to state Sen. Jabo Waggoner-R-Vestavia Hills, and state Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood about the possibility of making changes to the law so that Hoover can offer those other services provided by county courthouses as well.

Residents of Hoover who live in Shelby County still will need to visit the Shelby County license offices to renew tags, Ivey said. But Shelby County has not experienced the same problems with tag renewals as Jefferson County, he said.

The target start date at the Hoover Met is June 1, but there still are some logistics to be worked out, Ivey said.

The Hoover City Council tonight authorized the mayor to enter into an agreement with a private company called Ingenuity Inc. to handle the tag renewals. Contracting with an outside company will keep the city from having to hire people to do the work, Ivey said.

The contract with Ingenuity will allow the company to keep 90 percent of all commissions and fees. The city would keep the other 10 percent, and the city would pay nothing to Ingenuity Inc., Ivey said.